A Loyal Soldier of Christ Jesus

2 1Timothy, you are [like] a son to me. Be
strong in the grace (kindness) that we have in Christ Jesus.
2You have heard the things that I have taught.
Many other people heard those things too. You should teach those same
things. Give those teachings to some people you can trust. Then they will
be able to teach those things to other people.
3Share in the troubles that we have. Accept
those troubles like a true soldier of Christ Jesus.
4A person that is a soldier wants to please
his commanding officer. So that soldier does not use his time doing the
things that most people do.
5If an athlete is running a race, he must obey
all the rules to win.
6The farmer who works hard should be the first
person to get some of the food that he grew.
7Think about these things that I am saying.
The Lord will give you the ability to understand all these things.
8Remember Jesus Christ. He is from the
family of David.* After Jesus died, he was
raised from death. This is the Good News* that I tell people.
9And I am suffering because I tell that Good
News. I am even bound with chains like a person who has really done wrong.
But God's teaching is not bound.
10So I patiently accept all these troubles. I
do this to help all the people that God has chosen. I accept these
troubles so that those people can have the salvation that is in Christ
Jesus. With that salvation comes glory that never ends.
11This teaching is true:
If we died with him (Jesus),
then we will also live with him.
12If we accept suffering,
then we will also rule with him.
If we refuse to accept him,
then he will refuse to accept us.
13If we are not faithful,
he will still be faithful,
because he cannot be false to himself.

An Approved Worker

14Continue telling the people these things.
And warn those people before God not to argue about words. Arguing about
words does not help any person. And it ruins those people who listen.
15Do the very best you can to be the kind of
person that God will accept, and give yourself to him. Be a worker who is
not ashamed of his work--a worker who uses the true teaching in the right
way.
16Stay away from people who talk about useless
things that are not from God. That kind of talk will lead a person more
and more against God.
17Their [evil] teaching will spread like a
sickness inside the body. Hymenaeus and Philetus are men like that.
18They have left the true teaching. They say
that the rising from death [of all people] has already happened. And those
two men are destroying the faith of some people.
19But God's strong foundation* continues to be the same. These words are written on that foundation: "The
Lord knows those people who belong to him."* Also, these words are written on that foundation: "Every person who says
that he believes in the Lord must stop doing wrong."
20In a large house there are things made of
gold and silver. But also there are things made of wood and clay. Some
things are used for special purposes. Other things are made for dirty
jobs.
21If any person will make himself clean from
all the evil things, then that person will be used for special purposes.
That person will be made holy,*and the
master can use him. That person will be ready to do any good work.
22Stay away from the evil things a young
person wants to do. Try very hard to live right and to have faith, love,
and peace. Do these things together with those people who have pure hearts
and trust in the Lord.
23Stay away from foolish and stupid arguments.
You know that those arguments grow into bigger arguments.
24A servant of the Lord must not argue! He must
be kind to every person. A servant of the Lord must be a good teacher. He
must be patient.
25The Lord's servant must gently teach those
people that don't agree with him. Maybe God will let those people change
their hearts so that they can accept the truth.
26The devil has trapped those people and makes
them do what he wants. But maybe they can wake up [and see that the devil
is using them] and free themselves from the devil's trap.

David King of Israel about 1000 years
before Christ.
Good News The news that God has made a
way for people to have their sins forgiven and live with him forever.
foundation The bottom part or first part
of a house that the rest of the house is built on.
"The Lord knows ... him" Quote from Num.
16:5.
holy A holy person is pure and belongs
only to God.